The owners of Hopleaf Bar at 5148 N Clark had plans to purchase the two-story building currently owned and occupied by La Donna Restaurant, but that deal has collapsed according to an article today in Crain's Chicago. The purchase fell through when Edgebrook Bank withdrew its financing, although co-owner Michael Roper said he still plans to purchase the space and open a tavern that would serve Mediterranean-inspired cuisine and offer a beer selection that would rival the more than 150 varieties served at Hopleaf. La Donna has put its plans to move north on Clark street, as previously reported by the ECB, on hold although it still plans to move forward with the purchase of the location at 6340 N. Clark.Source: Crain's Chicago
6 comments:
That's too bad. Sounds like both parties would have been better off if the sale had happened. Hopleaf could expand which is needed due to always being crowded and La Donna could move which seems like it's going to happen anyway. I was sad to hear La Donna was leaving since it was here before A'ville became trendy, but was excited that Hopleaf might not always be packed if it could expand.
With all the auto oriented stores, etc between Ridge and Devon on Clark,
we need a great restaurant like LaDonna.
Speaking of auto related stores - I noticed that Community Auto Parts, located on Clark just south of Berwyn is closing up and moving to the 6300 block of N Clark.
Man, I remember going there when it was one room, a cool but hard-to-maintain junk box that played three 45s for a quarter and Shirley working behind the bar in the afternoon, elderly, slow, but fantastic. Oh, and a TV in a corner and plenty of room to sit down at 7 in the evenig. I'm happy for his success but I can't even get in the place anymore and I miss it. oh, well...
How long ago was that? I can recall Andersonville being much less "trendy" than it is now so to speak, but that seems like a time gone by!
How long ago? Man, not sure. I'd say maybe 10 years ago? Maybe...
The jukebox wasn't an original. Michale bought it somewhere and said he would scour resale shops for 45s when he took trips back home to Michigan. I was amazed he was able to find such great songs in such great shape, on 45s no less. He had to get rid of it, he said, when it got harder and harder to find parts. And yeah, they had a TV in there and guys would watch baseball, maybe the news. But he said he got tired of it and took it out.
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